Red Wines

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Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2015 Cheval Blanc is still incredibly primary at this very youthful stage. With coaxing, it unfurls to reveal beguiling notions of ripe black cherries, mulberries, licorice, baking spices and smoked meats with touches of incense and potpourri plus wafts of cast iron pan and crushed rocks. Full-bodied, very rich, very firm/taut and with very ripe, fine-grained tannins, it allows a glimpse at its incredible depth of flavors with a very long multi-layered finish. Wow.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPMade with 45% Cabernet Franc, this great wine offers a beautiful, rich and perfumed character. It was an exceptional vintage for the estate, which incorporated fruit from parcels of the vineyard that would normally be used for the chateau’s second wine into this blend. It is packed with black-fruit flavors and broad tannins, with a background of juicy acidity and a firm structure. Drink from 2027.Wine Enthusiast | 100 WEPhenomenal aromas of cherries, flowers, blackberries and sandalwood. Pure fruit. Full-bodied, dense and polished with incredible tannin quality like the finest, densest silk ball. In perfect proportions. Compact. Seamless and endless. Gorgeous to taste now but give it six or seven years to understand it better.James Suckling | 99 JSA lovely sanguine hint leads off, followed by racy, elegant juniper, tobacco, red currant and damson plum notes that move in unison. Broadens and deepens, adding notes of currant preserves, warm ganache and smoldering tobacco, with a swath of loamy structure. Yet even as the bass line increases in volume through the finish, this maintains purity and poise. Should deliver some stunning aromatics at peak, which will take awhile to achieve. Best from 2025 through 2045. 8,250 cases made.Wine Spectator | 98 WSI continue to absolutely love the 2015 Chateau Cheval Blanc. It’s one of those powerful, sexy, yet also weightless and elegant wines that’s going to drink well all its life. Checking in as a blend of 55% Merlot and 45% Cabernet Franc brought up in new barrels, it offers a kaleidoscope of aromas and flavors led by beautiful sweet fruits as well as incredible floral, spice, and graphite nuances. It’s full-bodied, with a rich, rounded, opulent texture, sweet tannins, and a blockbuster finish. As with a lot of 2015s, it has the sweetness of fruit and ripe tannin that allows it to drink well today, but it’s going to be very long-lived and have 3-4 decades of prime drinking.Jeb Dunnuck | 98 JDLovely perfumed fruit on the palate, this has well integrated tannins that have a soft gentle mouth coating texture, with excellent juicy appeal straight away. Really quite herbal here, lots of mint and eucalyptus with tons of liquorice and some mint chocolate. Like the 2016, everything is so well balanced, just giving you hints of different elements. Here it is the cool blue fruit, liquorice and mint. So well executed, defined, precise and svelte. It is mouthfulling too though, you know this is a big wine with plenty of power and structure but so supple and agile. Excellent precision. Still super young and a bit shy, it’s not giving away all its secrets right now but you’d never guess this was from a warm, ripe vintage such is the freshness. Such class on show. (Drink between 2027-2050)Decanter | 97 DECTotally seamless in the glass, with no beginning and no end, the 2015 Cheval Blanc is simply extraordinary. It’s hard to describe the 2015, because all of its elements are so perfectly in place. Beautifully delineated aromatics make a strong opening statement. Vibrant and wonderfully nuanced on the palate, the wine exudes energy and vitality through to the persistent, silky finish. Many other 2015s speak with more assertiveness and volume, but Cheval Blanc is more understsated. In 2015, Cheval Blanc created quite a stir in announcing that a whopping 91% of their crop would be bottled as Grand Vin. There will be no Petit Cheval, while the rest of the wine was sold internally. Antonio Galloni | 96+ VM

Showing even better now than on release, the 2015 Château Clos de Sarpe might be one of the greatest wines to ever emerge from this tiny vineyard just outside of Saint Emilion. Dense purple/plum-hued, with an enormous bouquet of blueberries, blackberries, white truffles, violets, and spring flowers, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, an incredible sense of opulence, and silky, polished tannins. It’s absorbed just about every trace of its oak élevage, and while it’s an incredible drink today, it’s going to evolve for 30+ years or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 97+ JDThe 2015 Clos de Sarpe boasts off-the-charts richness. Full-throttle and unapologetically opulent, Clos de Sarpe is probably the most exotic of the more modern, sumptuous Saint-Émilions. Super-ripe black cherry, chocolate, leather, spice and new French oak are all pushed forward. Ripeness and unctuousness are taken to the edge in this exotic beauty.Vinous Media | 95 VMDeep garnet-purple colored, the 2015 Clos de Sarpe gives up gorgeous blackberry, black cherries and warm plums notes with sparks of redcurrants and anise with a potpourri, tilled soil and bay leaves undercurrent. Full-bodied and packed with spicy energy in the mouth, it has a firm yet plush texture and fantastic freshness, finishing on a lingering earthy note.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPA riper expression with aromas of tea, plum cake and dark spiced raisins. The palate has the same tendency to riper fruit with plum paste. Essence-like. Chewy tannins. Try from 2022.James Suckling | 93 JSThis sports a juicy, enticing feel, with good energy to the mix of raspberry and blackberry compote flavors. Singed cedar, tobacco and ganache notes fill in through the finish. Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2019 through 2024. 900 cases made, 250 cases imported.Wine Spectator | 90 WS

Very deep-set aromas of blackberries and red and dark plum fruits, set amid integrated oak spices, cedar and hints of earth. The palate has a super plush feel with intense flavors of blueberries and dark plums. Succulent tannins that are smooth, entrancing and very long. Try from 2022.James Suckling | 95 JS93–95. Barrel Sample. Smooth and opulent, this is a densely tannic wine. Its dark fruits and dusty texture are backed by juicy acidity and a core of framing tannins. It will be powerful and rich with age.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEThe 2015 Faugères is plush, deep and inviting. Succulent red cherry, plum, tobacco, cedar, licorice and new leather are some of the many nuances that take shape, and attractive floral notes add brightness and lift. This is a very pretty and alluring Saint-Émilion from Silvio Denz. The blend is 80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Tasted two times.Antonio Galloni | 93 AGBeautiful aromas and flavors of warm fig and boysenberry reduction lead off, with extra raspberry and cassis notes filling in behind them. Lush in feel, with the structure nicely embedded, letting extra licorice, fruitcake and singed mesquite details chime in. The finish ripples with fruit and fresh acidity. Best from 2023 through 2035. 7,917 cases made. Wine Spectator | 93 WSThe 2015 Faugeres is a blend of 80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon aged for 15 months in French oak, 50% new. Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, it has a nose of baked plums, warm cherries and black berries with touches of meat and fried spices. The full-bodied mouth is rich, opulent and spicy with firm, velvety tannins and lovely freshness lifting the finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPThe 2015 Château Faugeres includes slightly less Merlot than the 2016 and is 75% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Cabernet Franc. Like a lot of 2015s, it’s already open and approachable and offers lots of cassis and black cherry fruits, plenty of spice, herbs and earth nuances. With medium to full-bodied richness, terrific purity and elegance, and present, yet sweet tannin, I suspect it will fill in with 2-3 years in the cellar and keep for 15+. Tasted twice.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JD

A hold onto your hat wine, the 2015 Château Figeac is pure perfection and one of the wines of this terrific vintage. A blend of 43% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot and 28% Cabernet Franc, its deep purple color is followed by a huge nose of crème de cassis, black raspberries, smoked earth, and graphite. This is followed by a full-bodied, opulent and incredibly concentrated Saint-Emilion that has everything in the right places, no hard edges, thrilling purity of fruit, and a great, great finish. This is one of those rare gems that carries huge intensity and richness, yet still glides across the palate with no sense of weight or heaviness. Winemaker Frédéric Faye thinks the 2016 is even better but that certainly isn’t stopping me from giving this crazy good wine a triple digit score. Everyone owes it to themselves to try and taste this wine at least once!Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDIntense, yet extremely precise nose of red fruit with hints of pomegranate and vanilla. Stunning balance of great ripeness and very fine tannins that give this a wonderfully rich and plush texture at the very long and lingering finish, which gives you so much to think about. Drink or hold. Château Quintus vertical tasting.James Suckling | 99 JSDominated by the two Cabernets—Sauvignon and Franc—this is a beautifully structured wine. Firm tannins and ripe black currants give a perfumed character that is ripe, dense and impressive. The wine has enormous potential, with great tannins and fruit. Drink from 2027.Wine Enthusiast | 98 WEThe recent leaps and bounds in improvements that have occurred at this great estate, equating to a dramatic increase in intensity and complexity—without compromising the husky, soft-spoken, sultry voice that is Figeac—is a monumental achievement. Kudos to Frederic Faye and his team for so beautifully expressing what was clearly an extraordinary vintage at Chateau Figeac! Blended of 29% Merlot, 43% Cabernet Sauvignon and 28% Cabernet Franc, the deep garnet-purple colored 2015 Figeac reveals vibrant black cherries, cassis, red currants, black plums and licorice notes with touches of cigar boxes, bouquet garni, potpourri, damp soil and black pepper. Medium-bodied, delicately crafted and with nuanced, quietly intense layers of vivacious red and black fruits, the palate features a solid frame of polished, rounded tannins and seamless freshness, finishing long and minerally.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97+ RPThe 2015 Figeac is a step up from the 2014 with exquisite scents of red berry fruit, incense, rose petal and crush stone. Pixelated with wonderful precision. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins, wonderful backbone allied with a sense of symmetry. It is more saline than previous vintages, with saliva flowing after the wine has exited. One of the standouts from the Right Bank in this vintage. Tasted at the château.Vinous Media | 97 VMThis is rich and exuberant, showcasing the warmth of the vintage. It’s still basically a primeur wine with beautiful blue-violet reflections, although it was bottled in April and will stay at the estate until January 2018. With silky-smooth tannins, this is a seriously elegant and delicious wine. The coffee stained palate is full of rich black cherries, tight cassis and finely grained tannins. The 2016 has just a touch more focus but that is splitting hairs, as both are exceptional vintages at Figeac. This has real persistence and a mouthwatering quality on the finish, a seriously enjoyable wine that never tries to overpower or show off.Decanter | 97 DECDensely packed, with crème de cassis, raspberry reduction and plum sauce flavors allied to notes of loam, warm cast iron and roasted apple wood. Shows terrific cut and energy, with the iron element helping to push the finish along and letting the fruit linger. Among the more backward wines of the vintage, so patience is required. Best from 2028 through 2045. 8,333 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WS

Lots of cedar, tea-leaf and hazelnut character and ripe fruit aromas. Citrus peel, too. Full body, round and juicy tannins and a flavorful finish. Smoky undertone. This is structured and so complex. Drink in 2023.James Suckling | 97 JSA straight up smokin’ red from this vintage is the 2015 Château Gazin and it’s a big, powerful, stacked 2015 that’s for those with patience. Made from almost all Merlot (I think it’s 100%), my notes on this beauty start - and end - with “love it.” Cassis, lead pencil shavings, graphite, forest floor, and tons of minerality all soar from the glass of this sensationally rich, concentrated, medium to full-bodied 2015 that has building tannin, a seamless texture, and a blockbuster finish. Forget bottle for 5-7 years and enjoy over the following two to three decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 95+ JDMedium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2015 Gazin is scented of baked plums, Christmas cake, mincemeat and plum preserves with hints of chocolate box, coffee, tapenade and smoked meats. Medium to full-bodied with mouth-filling baked berries and savory layers, it has firm, chewy tannins and a long finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 93 RPThe 2015 Gazin has a fragrant bouquet of blackberry, briary and truffle; a whiff of bonfire smoke emerges with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy tannin, quite edgy and tensile with a fresh, graphite and tobacco-laced finish that is classic in style. Superb, if missing the same horsepower of 12 months ago. This might well be closing down. Tasted blind at the Southwold 2015 Bordeaux tasting.Vinous Media | 93 VMPlush and warm, with fig, boysenberry and blackberry confiture notes inlaid with light charcoal, black tea and fruitcake hints. The fleshy finish lets the charcoal element lead the way. Best from 2022 through 2032. 6,833 cases made.Wine Spectator | 93 WSFirm with spicy, generous tannins, this is a wine that is showing both ripe black fruits and wood aging flavors. The wood will temper as the ripe, full black fruits develop. It has good aging potential.Wine Enthusiast | 92 WE(Château Gazin, Pomerol, Bordeaux, France, Red) Youthful blackcurrants, damsons and berries with cedar, coffee and liquorice notes; compact and well-constructed with a silky texture. (Drink between 2023-2033)Decanter | 91 DEC

A dusty and pretty wine with cigar-box, chocolate and plum character. Full body, round and polished tannins and a flavorful finish. Needs three or four years to come together. Drink in 2021.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2015 Grand Pontet has a more opulent bouquet than some of its peers, although I found more control and definition here. The palate is medium-bodied with a sprinkle of dark chocolate on the entry, although here it does not occlude the terroir, and the fineness of the tannins can be seen underneath. It is a bold Saint Émilion, but it does not push everything too far.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91-93 RP-NMLayers of bitter chocolate, coffee, pencil shavings and spicy dark fruit combine with fine grained tannins and a youthful freshness. (Drink between 2024-2036)Decanter | 90 DEC

The 2015 L’Eglise-Clinet is one of the wines of the vintage. Even better from bottle than it was from barrel, the 2015 towers out of the glass with stunning power and richness. Super-ripe black cherry, plum, licorice, tobacco and menthol are some of the many notes pulse through this riveting Pomerol. There is plenty of structure, but the tannins are nearly buried by the sheer intensity of the fruit. Hints of lavender, smoke, spice, licorice reappear to round out the finish. L’Eglise-Clinet is 90% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, aged in 70% new oak. More importantly, the 2015 is a total pleasure bomb. This a fabulous wine from Denis Durantou. Don’t miss it.Antonio Galloni | 99 AGThe violets, roses and dark fruits are so evident but they entice you in a subtle and fresh way. Full-bodied, dense and tannic, yet everything is so in tune with everything else and there are no hard edges or loose ends. It’s like a whirlpool that draws you down and then shows you its beauty. The harmony and complexity is phenomenal. Try in 2024 but I don’t want to wait.James Suckling | 99 JSComposed of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, the 2015 L’Eglise Clinet comes bursting out of the glass with a gorgeous perfume of exotic spices and potpourri over a core of blueberry compote, red currant jelly, spiced black plums and mulberries with touches of unsmoked cigars, powdered cinnamon and licorice. Big, rich and full-bodied, the palate offers exquisite harmony, packed with exotic spice and red and black fruit layers, finishing on an epically long-lasting mineral note. In an understated word: WOW.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98+ RPThis delivers a fresh, enticing beam of raspberry, boysenberry and blackberry coulis flavors that stretch out admirably while light anise, singed apple wood and fruitcake notes check in. Picks up some sneaky grip and a pretty mineral twinge through the finish. Rather elegant overall considering how much is here. Best from 2020 through 2035. 1,510 cases made.Wine Spectator | 94 WSThe second wine of Eglise Clinet, the 2015 La Petite Eglise is a pretty, elegant, even Burgundian, 2015 that opens up beautifully with time in the glass, Ripe red currants, cherries, sandalwood, cedary spice, and dried floral notes all emerge from this medium-bodied 2015 that has fine tannin and a great finish. It’s certainly not a blockbuster but excels on its finesse and elegance. Drink it anytime over the coming decade. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to taste the top cuvee from this estate.Jeb Dunnuck | 92 JD

I love the freshness and purity of fruit on offer with bright raspberries but also blackcurrants and rose petals. Very sexy on the palate with bright acidity, lazor-sharp tannins and a fine-grained finish. A blend of 75% merlot, 20% cabernet franc and 5% cabernet sauvignon. Drink in 2021.James Suckling | 93 JSThis estate, just to the east of the city of Saint-Émilion, has produced a spicy wine with layers of dark chocolate and wood flavors.Wine Enthusiast | 93 WEA fresh, pure style, with a core of cassis leading the way, followed by additional plum and raspberry puree flavors. Violet, iron and sanguine notes chime in. A polished structure carries the finish. Best from 2020 through 2030. 3,333 cases made.Wine Spectator | 91 WSThe 2015 Château La Couspaude is a beauty! Offering a deep ruby/plum color as well as terrific notes of black cherry liqueur, strawberries, spice and toasty oak, it’s medium-bodied, textured and nicely balanced on the palate, with fine tannin. It’s not the most complex wine out there, but man is it a delicious drink. I suspect it will keep for at least a decade.Jeb Dunnuck | 91 JD

The 2015 La Gaffelière is a wine of total finesse. Much less obvious and overt than most Saint-Émilions in this vintage, La Gaffelière makes its case on harmony and grace above all else. Bright, lifted Cabernet Franc–infused aromatics give the 2015 striking freshness and aromatic presence. The flavors are bright and nuanced to the core, with plenty of red cherry, espresso and floral notes. But back to the basics. In 2015 La Gaffelière is a wine that stands out because of its impeccable balance and sense of proportion. I loved it. Tasted two times.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGFrom its privileged position on the sweep of vines leading up to the medieveal city of Saint-Émilion, this estate has made an impressive wine in this vintage. It is rich and concentrated both in its structure and its black fruits. Complex, dark and dense, it can age for many years. Drink from 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEEnticing warm plum, fig and blackberry compote notes roll through, inlaid with singed alder and tobacco accents. There’s a light tug of warm cast iron and another wave of fruit after that, all supported by well-buried chalky minerality. This is a very strong showing and has put on some weight since the barrel tasting. Best from 2020 through 2040. 6,665 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSAn extremely good quality wine, this is juicy, rich and welcoming. There’s perhaps the slightest trace of summer heat but the tannins are silky and easy to love. There’s a tightening through the finish that speaks of the limestone terroir. It needs another few years to allow the exuberance of the sun-ripened Merlot to quieten down, but then we will have a seriously impressive wine on our hands. Drinking Window 2024 - 2042.Decanter | 95 DECMedium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2015 La Gaffeliere has a slightly reticent, broody nose of black truffles, fertile loam and mossy bark over a core of warm plums, crushed black berries and black cherries plus a touch of iron ore. Medium to full-bodied with firm and very finely grained tannins with layers of softly spoken fruit and great freshness, it finishes long.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94+ RPImpressive deep-set dark cherries, blueberries and dark plums here with neatly fitted spicy oak, which adds immediate complexity. Deep, long and fresh with vibrant acidity, underpinning ripe blackberries, plums and hints of chocolate. Superb wine. Try from 2022.James Suckling | 94 JSFrom further up the slope from Canon-la-Gaffelière, the 2015 Château La Gaffelière is terrific, and more than worth your time and money. A blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc that’s loaded with notions of cassis, toasted spices, classy oak, and licorice, it hits the palate with a full-bodied, tight, focused texture carrying good acidity and plenty of tannins. With terrific mid-palate depth, impeccable balance, and a great finish, it’s nowhere near primetime but is a gorgeous bottle of wine. Forget bottles for 4-5 years and enjoy over the following two decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 93+ JD

The 2015 Château Pavie Decesse is another blockbuster from the Perse team, and it’s not far off the straight Pavie release, although this cuvée always shows slightly more elegance and freshness as well as obvious minerality. Sensational notes of crème de cassis, black cherries, white truffle, white flowers, and incense notes all emerge from this full-bodied, saturated purple (it’s almost blue-colored), powerful wine. It’s another wine that has the upfront, voluptuous style of the vintage yet backs it up with sensational concentration, building tannins, remarkable purity, and a huge finish. It’s an incredible wine that needs 5-10 years of bottle age and will keep for another 3 decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDGérard Perse’s 2015 Pavie-Decesse is just as compelling from bottle as it was from barrel, if not more so. Lifted, gracious and super-refined, the 2015 captures the richness of the year with the support of cool, mineral-driven notes from the calcaire-rich soils. Super-ripe red cherry, blood orange, rose petal and mint are some of the many notes that are woven together. In 2015, Pavie-Decesse is a wine of pure and total class. Don’t miss it!Antonio Galloni | 98 AGPlums, berries, flowers, wet earth and rose petals. Full-bodied, deep and rich, especially on the center palate. Super silky tannins. Great length and texture. Goes on for minutes. Try in 2023.James Suckling | 98 JSThis delivers a stunning display of raspberry ganache, boysenberry pâte de fruit and crème de cassis flavors, studded with dried anise, singed apple wood and warm fruitcake notes. A serious chalky spine strides throughout, keeping this bridled and focused. Will need some time to unfurl fully. Best from 2025 through 2040. 750 cases made.Wine Spectator | 96 WSAlmost completely Merlot, this is a rich wine but one that goes towards great elegance. The style is smooth, with soft tannins, although the wine is also fresh and almost salty with the acidity and juicy black fruits. Its tannins presage a long-term future. Drink from 2026.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WELocated at the top of the plateau inside of Pavie and planted to 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, the 2015 Pavie Decesse is a vintage blend that reflects the vineyard plantings precisely, and it has been aged in 100% new French oak barrels. Very deep garnet-purple colored, it kicks off with exuberant crushed black currants, blackberries and black forest cake notes with hints of potpourri, Indian spices, mossy bark and Sichuan pepper. The full-bodied palate reveals wonderful energy and intensity, supported by firm, grainy tannins and impressive tension, which takes the electric fruit to a very long finish.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 95+ RP90% Merlot from 3.65ha. True to style: ripe, powerful and firm with marked tension but more refinement in the texture this year. One for the cellar. Drinking Window 2028 - 2040.Decanter | 93 DEC

Cedary oak adds spices to pristine plums and dark berries. Terrific clarity and allure. The palate delivers a seamless and fluid build of smooth tannins, carrying bright cherries, plums and dark chocolate through to a deeply classy finish. Superb. Best from 2020.James Suckling | 96 JSNotes of cassis, crushed violets, spice, and distinct minerality emerge from the 2015 Château Petit-Village, and this Merlot dominated blend (there’s 10% Cabernet Franc) is medium to full-bodied, elegant, and seamless on the palate. With fine, polished tannin, the freshness and purity that’s the hallmark of the vintage, and integrated tannin, it’s a rock-star of a Pomerol to drink anytime over the coming 20+ years. (Drink between 2018-2038)Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JD93–95. Barrel Sample. There is a fine touch of perfume here along with the generous flavors. Spice, smoky aromas and blackberry fruits are forward in this rounded, opulent wine that shows an extra push in quality from this estate.Wine Enthusiast | 94 WEA gutsy style, with lightly roasted fig, plum and blackberry fruit flavors matched to brambly, slightly chewy grip. An ample dose of ganache and roasted alder drives the finish. The pieces are there, but this needs time in the cellar. Best from 2023 through 2033. 2,583 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WSComposed of 71% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 9% Cabernet Sauvignon aged for 15 months in barrels, 60% new, the 2015 Petit Village reveals a deep garnet-purple color and gregarious notes of crushed blackberries, crème de cassis and preserved plums with touches of cedar chest, black olives, bay leaves and Marmite toast. The decadently rich, medium to full-bodied palate is superbly supported by a firm frame of grainy tannins and a lively backbone, finishing long and savory.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 91 RPThe 2015 Petit Village has a clean and precise bouquet with blackberry, black truffle, smoke and graphite aromas developing in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, a crisp line of acidity, tapering in slightly toward the graphite infused finish. Plenty of energy here, but give it three or four years in bottle. Tasted blind at the Southwold 2015 Bordeaux tasting.Vinous Media | 90 VMA concentrated gourmet complexity of blackberry and cherry fruit on smoky toffee brittle and coffee bean spice. Grippy and firm. (Drink between 2023-2037)Decanter | 90 DEC

A dense and layered red that is tight and focused with blackberries, currants and blueberries. Pure. Full body, superfine tannins and a long finish. Sophisticated. Best ever. Drink in 2020 but already beautiful.James Suckling | 94 JSLively, with a light brambly hint throughout, while damson plum, raspberry and bitter cherry notes dart to and fro. The sleek finish has juniper and savory hints for added energy. Drink now through 2021. 12,500 cases made. Wine Spectator | 90 WSThe leading player in the appellation. A blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc with 5% Malbec. Lovely aromatic expression - blueberry and dark fruit notes. Sweet fruited palate with a touch of oak present. Fine, rounded tannins and a firm, chalky finish. Fine ageing potential.Decanter | 90 DECThe 2015 Puygueraud was picked between September 28 and October 13, and is a blend of 80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and 5% Malbec. It was a little reduced on the nose at first, though it cleared to reveal stony blackberry fruit, quite "airy" and lifted. The palate is medium-bodied with light tannin, fresh and lively, a pleasant mineral core already tangible with a brisk, fresh, crisp finish. This is a little delight.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 88-90 RP-NM

A wine I was able to taste on multiple occasions, the 2015 Troplong Mondot is a tour de force that readers need to snatch up. This cuvee comes from the cool, clay and limestone soils on the upper plateau (it’s the highest point in the appellation) and is a blend of 92% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc, harvest between September 30th and October 21st, that was brought up in 85% new French oak. Sporting a deep, inky color as well as a sensational bouquet of creme de cassis, blackberry, toasted spice, licorice and spring flowers, it’s another huge wine from this estate that has perfect balance between its fruit, oak and tannin, a stacked mid-palate, and an incredible finish. I wrote "crazy good" more than once in my notes. It has enough fruit and texture to drink nicely even today, yet needs 4-5 years of cellaring and will keep for two to three decades. It’s one of the great wines of the vintage.Jeb Dunnuck | 99 JDExpressive, ripe dark plums swathed in aromas of mocha, toasted baking spices, graphite, blackberries and mulberries. The flavor-soaked palate arrives on suave, velvety tannins, delivering flavors of vibrant, concentrated dark plums, mulberries, dark chocolate and cocoa in a youthful, fresh style. Terrific wine with ultra-long finish. An essay in power and elegance. Essence-like. Best from 2020.James Suckling | 98 JSOne of the stars of the vintage, the 2015 Troplong Mondot has come together beautifully over the last year and half. Rich and sumptuous to the core, it is a classic wine from this property, built on serious fruit density and textural richness. Dark red cherry, plum, chocolate, new leather and spice are some of the many notes that build as the 2015 shows off its irrepressible personality. A viscerally exciting, resonant wine, it just needs a few years to shed some of its baby fat. Tasted two times.Antonio Galloni | 97 AGBlended of 90% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc aged in French oak, 85% new, the deep garnet-purple colored 2015 Troplong Mondot is redolent of warm plums, blackberry tart and blueberry pie with suggestions of underbrush, bay leaves, cedar chest and lavender plus a waft of baking spices. Full-bodied and full-throttle in the mouth, the palate is decadently packed with a solid core of black and blue fruit layers, supported with firm, grainy tannins and finishing with loads of spicy layers. This pedal-to-the-metal beauty is the ultimate indulgence for the hedonists!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 96 RPIn keeping with the new style from this estate, this is a powerful, opulent wine. Its density, concentration and layers of dark fruits are all of a piece, held together by powerful tannins. Touches of black coffee and spice emphasize the richness of the fruit and the opulent aftertaste. Drink from 2025.Wine Enthusiast | 96 WEOffers a gorgeous, caressing, velvety feel, with waves of warmed plum, fig compote and blackberry reduction gliding through, inlaid with notes of graphite, sweet tobacco and black licorice. A light loamy echo adds a pleasant tug of earth at the very end. Best from 2022 through 2040. 10,000 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WSMellow aromas of cassis and blackberries infused with vanilla and coconut oak; generous and mouthfilling with a silky viscosity. Drinking Window 2023 - 2040Decanter | 93 DEC

Beautiful aromas of plums, flowers, truffles, earth, and hot stones. Full-bodied, yet the very fine and polished tannins have fabulous poise and elegance. Plush. Love the finish. One of the best ever from here. Drink from 2025.James Suckling | 96 JSThis has more concentration than the 2015, less immediately seductive but the layers are evident, and it’s hard to fault the construction. Plush and sexy and full of Pomerol pleasure, but also real depth, power and spice. Lovely wine, with the juicy saline kick on the finish that you want in Beauregard. Love this, but needs time - those tannins are chewy right now. Drinking Window: 2024 - 2040Decanter | 95 DECDeep garnet-purple in color, the 2016 Beauregard is a little closed on the nose, opening to warm black plums, blackberries and mulberries with touches of chocolate box and dried herbs plus violets hints. The palate is medium to full-bodied, firm, grainy and packed with muscular fruit, finishing long and earthy.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 94 RPI loved the 2016 Château Beauregard, which was firing on all cylinders during my visit. Medium to full-bodied, beautifully pure, with good acidity and a meaty nose of black fruits, truffle, bouquet garni, and earth, it’s beautifully balanced and about as classic Pomerol as it gets. Give bottles another handful of years and it will deliver the goods over the following 10-15.Jeb Dunnuck | 94 JDStructured from the start, with a light charcoal edge and a strong graphite spine supporting the core of dark plum, blueberry and açaí berry flavors. Tobacco and alder details are etched on the finish, with the fruit driving through. Slightly taciturn in style, but cellaring should lighten the mood. Best from 2023 through 2033. 2,917 cases made.Wine Spectator | 92 WS

Composed of 74% Merlot and 26% Cabernet Franc and aged for 18 months in 70% new French barriques, the 2016 Canon is medium to deep garnet-purple in color, and—WOW—it opens with the most stunning perfume of violets, red roses and kirsch, giving way to a core of black cherry preserves, chocolate box, licorice, warm plums and Chinese five spice plus an earthy waft of underbrush. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is completely filled with expressive, perfumed black berry layers accented by lively red fruits and exotic spices, supported by impressively fine-grained tannins and fantastic tension, finishing very long with jaw-dropping energy. Tasted three times, I had one opportunity to taste the 2015 and 2016 Canon side by side. While I love the bold, rich, seductive nature of the 2015, this 2016 kicks it up a notch in terms of polish, precision, depth and persistence. Most notably, the superbly ripe, exquisitely fine-grained tannins on this 2016 bring to the table a whole other level of sophistication. Bravo!Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 98+ RPThis wine is impressive both from its structure and its fruit, one of the stars of the vintage in Saint-Émilion. It has great weight, concentration as well as style and aging potential. The ripe fruit shines through the structure, promising an elegant maturity. Drink from 2025.Wine Enthusiast | 98 WEThe 2016 Canon has the unenviable task of following the astonishing 2015, and it does a damn good job, even if it doesn’t reach the same ethereal heights. There is a pleasing strictness and poise on the nose; this is less immediate than the 2015, yet intellectual, a Canon that expresses its terroir rather than tons of fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, a fine bead of acidity, a smooth texture and a slightly savory but persistent finish, which feels a little plusher than the 2015, implying that this might drink a little earlier. But there is unquestionably immense breeding locked into this rejuvenated Saint-Émilion, which is now firmly ensconced among the top-flight Right Banks.Vinous Media | 97 VMLike Rauzan-Segla, Canon is owned by Chanel with 2016 being the second great vintage for winemaker Nicolas Audebert. After the top-scoring 2015, 2016 is a more restrained wine which demonstrates elegance rather than power. Dark berry and cherry fruit dominate the palate, with pronounced, leafy red-fruit/violets and roses on the nose. Fine-grained tannins, some smokiness from 70% new oak, this is another glorious St-Emilion with a long future ahead. (Drink between 2023-2045)Decanter | 97 DECComplex aromas of blackberries, iodine, oyster shell and wet earth. Ever so perfumed. Full-bodied, yet reserved and tight with very silky tannins that are energized and minerally. Takes off at the end. The freshness lifts it. Try after 2024.James Suckling | 97 JSThe 2016 Château Canon is another beautiful wine from this estate, made in a more streamlined, elegant style compared to the richer, sexier 2015. Checking in as a blend of 74% Merlot and 26% Cabernet Franc all from a magical terroir situated on the upper plateau just outside of the village of Saint-Emilion, it saw a small percentage of the blend go through malolactic fermentation in barrel, and the wine spent 18 months in 70% new French oak, with the balance in once-used. Gorgeous notes of blueberries, cassis, spring flowers, white truffle, and crushed rock nuances all come soaring from the glass and it has notable intensity as well as complexity. Medium to full-bodied, with vibrant acidity, ultra-fine tannins, and a straight, silky texture, I don’t think it matches the 2015 on concentration, but it’s perfectly balanced and has a texture to die for. It needs a good 4-5 years of bottle age (or more) and it’s going to be long-lived. Tasted three times.Jeb Dunnuck | 96 JDThis delivers a pretty serious ball of fruit, with a mix of raspberry, blueberry and black currant flavors providing range, while sweet tobacco notes and chalky minerality impart texture and detail. There’s a fresh savory echo on the finish. Much less reliant on toast than most of its peers. Best from 2022 through 2037. 6,667 cases made.Wine Spectator | 95 WS

Attractive dark-stone aromas with graphite and ripe dark berries sit fresh on the nose. The palate has a riper feel with very rich, dense fruit presence and a heavier, tannin line weight. Full body. Try from 2022.James Suckling | 93 JSThe 2016 Grand Corbin has grown into a powerful, dense Saint-Émilion. This is a fairly rich, bombastic style, and yet all the elements fall into place. I would give the 2016 a few years in bottle to allow the tannins to soften, but there is good depth and plenty of potential. A rush of chocolate, leather, licorice, smoke and black cherry meld into the potent finish. Tasted three times with consistent notes.Antonio Galloni | 92 AGClear black cherry and savoury cassis notes give a bright feel on the attack, although the tannins remain extremely constricting. Cinnamon, rosemary and charred liquorice chime in. It’s an austere style, but there’s no question that these are excellent building blocks. 40% new oak. Hubert de Bouard consults. Drinking Window 2024 - 2040.Decanter | 91 DECThe deep ruby/purple-hued 2016 Château Grand Corbin is another fine 2016 that has plenty of ripe, concentrated fruit yet stays pure, elegant and layered. Ripe black cherries, currants, green tobacco, and spring flower notes all emerge from this attractive, layered, complex Saint Emilion that has both freshness and richness.Jeb Dunnuck | 90 JDThe 2016 Grand Corbin has a rich and showy bouquet with plenty of ravishing black fruit laced with spice, although I would like to see more precision. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black fruit, a touch of graphite with a neat and tidy, quite harmonious and well-judged finish. It gets better as it goes along!Robert Parker Neal Martin | 89-91 RP-NM

Easily one of the most impressive of the lineup, just bursting with fruit and power - tight firm tannins giving clear support and backbone. This is a fairly Left Bank feel for a St Emilion, perhaps from its dash of Cabernet Sauvignon, and it successfully delivers a recognisable Chauvin signature. A beautiful vibrant violet rim suggests this is going to age well. 60% new oak, harvest October 6 to October 20, so quite a bit later in both starting and finishing than in normal years. (Drink between 2025-2042)Decanter | 94 DECBlackberry, blueberry and floral aromas follow through to a full body, tight and chewy tannins and a flavorful finish. Drink in 2023. A château to watch in the future.James Suckling | 94 JSThe 2016 Chauvin is a powerful, tannic wine that needs time to soften. This is an especially rich, extracted style, and yet everything comes together beautifully in the glass. Dark red cherry, plum, espresso, licorice, grilled herbs and menthol gain volume and richness as the wine opens up. Today the tannins and new oak are a bit much, but time in bottle should help the wine find a bit more harmony. All of the ingredients are present to allow that to happen. This is a terrific showing. Tasted two times. Antonio Galloni | 93+ AGThe medium garnet-purple colored 2016 Chauvin has quite a meaty/savory nose of chargrill, black olives, sautéed herbs and truffles with a core of baked plums and lifted black cherry compote. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has a solid frame of rounded tannins and just enough freshness to offer a seamless boost to the long earthy finish.\\Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 92 RPThe 2016 Château Chauvin checks in as a blend of 80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon. This deeply colored effort offers a serious bouquet of blackberries and black cherries, scorched earth, graphite, and camphor. It’s rich, powerful, and concentrated, with ripe tannins that kick in on the finish. My instincts say this will shut down, so either try a bottle over the next year or two or hold off for a good 7-8 years. Tasted twice.Jeb Dunnuck | 92+ JD

The 2016 Cheval Blanc is blended of 59.5% Merlot, 37.2% Cabernet Franc and 3.3% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep garnet-purple in color, the nose is incredibly youthful yet not so shy as some other 2016s at this stage, giving wonderfully intense scents of red currants, black cherries, wild blueberries and violets with nuances of star anise, cinnamon stick, rose hip tea, cigar box and wood smoke plus a touch of beef drippings. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has jaw-dropping elegance and depth, offering up layer upon layer of fragrant red and black fruits plus an extraordinary array of mineral sparks, supported by a rock-solid grainy texture, finishing with epic persistence and an edifying perfume. This is a very different style from the rich, opulently hedonic 2015, yet this wonderfully fragrant, beautifully poised and intellectually compelling 2016 is equally extraordinary.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 100 RPThe 2016 Cheval Blanc is one of the most beguiling wines of the vintage. Constantly changing in the glass, the 2016 is at once wonderfully refined and yet also quite powerful. Dark cherry, espresso, spice, leather, tobacco, mint and lavender give the 2016 tremendous aromatic presence. On the palate, the 2016 is rich, exotic and persistent, with real staying power and captivating balance. Pierre Lurton, Pierre-Olivier Clouet and the team at Cheval Blanc turned out a masterpiece in 2016. Don’t miss it.Antonio Galloni | 98 AGThis just keeps on going and going, the oak is perfectly integrated but holding everything in place. It has race, depth, complexity and feels true to the personality of the estate. It’s deftly put together and feels grown-up, as Cheval Blanc so often does, with wonderful fresh mint notes and clear tannic structure. It’s a bit like putting together a puzzle in your mouth, with a different piece fitting snugly into place every minute. It doesn’t try too hard to impress, like so many others. This is the first year since the early 2000s to have some Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend. Drinking Window 2026 - 2046.Decanter | 98 DECThis has turned into a very dense wine, with waves of cassis, plum reduction and blackberry paste forming the core. Wrapped tightly in layers of tobacco and loam for now, while singed alder, incense, black tea and bergamot notes peek in here and there. The finish rumbles like thunder for now, with the swath of tannins, and there’s just a twinge of drought-induced austerity. But there’s acidity and drive too, and this will cruise in the cellar for some time. Best from 2025 through 2045.Wine Spectator | 97 WSThe grand vin 2016 Château Cheval Blanc checks in as 60% Merlot, 37% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon brought up in new barrels, and this is the first year a replanted block of Cabernet Sauvignon has made the top cuvée. Compared to the 2001 by Pierre Lurton, it displays stunning aromatic fireworks with notions of blackcurrants, forest floor, iron bar, graphite, and spice all soaring from the glass. It develops more floral nuances with time in the glass and, as always with this cuvée, it’s all about complexity and elegance. More medium to full-bodied, with beautiful tannins and perfect balance, it’s a decidedly classic, focused, elegant wine from this estate that will keep for 3-4 decades.Jeb Dunnuck | 97 JDRich, smoky and with powerful fruit, this structured wine also has an impressive perfumed character. Spice, blackberry fruits and rich tannins give wonderful firmness that will allow the wine to age well. Drink this already beautiful wine from 2025.Wine Enthusiast | 97 WEOn the nose, the restrained black fruit aromas are interwoven with a striking leather note and some spice. A very classical Bordeaux with a self-confidently dry personality. Long and ripe finish that feels more mature than most of the wines of this vintage. Drink or hold. Château Quintus vertical tasting. SP.James Suckling | 94 JS